


Backward Running

by GoodbyeLove (JamieOver_JamieGone)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Armitage Hux Being An Asshole, Blackmail, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Hurt Poe Dameron, Implied/Referenced Torture, Jealousy, Love Triangles, Mitaka is a Good Friend, Mostly Canon Compliant, Murder, Past Child Abuse, Possessive Behavior, Prisoner Poe Dameron, Slow Burn, Stormtrooper Finn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:14:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22259284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamieOver_JamieGone/pseuds/GoodbyeLove
Summary: A woman's life is uprooted and flipped upside-down when she accepts a job assisting the First Order with the construction of Starkiller... Well, more like blackmailed into accepting. To get out she'll have to play by their rules, but escaping the First Order is much more complicated than she could've ever imagined.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Original Female Character(s), Poe Dameron/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	1. Big Shots

The planet Cantonica was all Junon had ever known.

Dry lifeless desert or bright exciting city, there was no in-between on Cantonica. Its beautiful artificial ocean skylines and luxury suites beckoned the rich, while the outer village's starving children wailed within makeshift shelters made of rubble and sticks. It was a wealthy planet, technically, situated on the outer rim. It's wealth was more attributed to the businesses that frequented it. The city of Canto Bight was the place to be for weapon sellers, designers, and off the wall illegal tech. Those who were unlucky enough to be born outside of the decorated electric city were destitute, born to rot on the outer banks of other being's fortune. 

That is the life Junon had been born into.

From the time she had been strong enough to lift boxes and read labels, Junon worked hard to keep herself from being one of those starving children. In the outer villages, you worked to _surviv_ e. Her parents, somber and complacent like every other lower-class citizen, were workers themselves. They dug holes and mined to make ends meet. They were the miserable type, tried, broken, and waiting for death, just like every other poor creature crawling at the feet of the wealthy. As a starving young girl, Junon often remembered the way her father would twitch and nod at every horrible command his superiors would shout at him. It angered her down to her very core that he had to endure abuse just so his family could eat. It wasn't fair! Answering to those in power seemed to be the norm, just the way of world. Junon _hated_ it.

Cantonica was notorious for crime. Homicides were so common that the police department could hardly keep up. They depended heavily on the big city businesses funding them, which only led to more unsolved homicides. No one ever seemed to live long enough to see old age here. It was the curse of this planet. Her parents were only in their forties when they'd died. Junon had come home one day to find it all set ablaze, _everything_ she'd ever held value in. At age nineteen, she'd lost her hut, lost her speeder, lost her parents all in one day- all in one random ambush.

It was the final nail in the coffin- The end of Junon the _nobody_. Kneeling on a bloody mound of sand, the human girl screamed up into the sky and cursed the life she'd been born into. Her days living amongst the poor were over.

...

_"Ooo Ooo Ooo! One step at a time, Ooo Ooo, Come-on, baby!"_

At age twenty-nine, Junon was safely tucked away in a Canto Bight city office, far _far_ away from the huts made of flimsy sticks ad burning bodies of faces she knew.

_"Ooo Ooo Ooo!"_

A normal day for her looked like this: grey walls, three windows, a comfy desk chair. Math came much easier to her when she was listening to music. Old percussion heavy songs that had been popular twenty years ago, she loved it. Junon sang along, bouncing her leg to the beat of the music in the small space she took up in her employer's workshop. The speaker's vibrations were shaking her station, but the girl hardly noticed. Thin fingers glided easily over the displayed blueprints of a wealthy client's order, wrapping up the final touches that would bring her next deflector shield to life.

"This is a new record for me, I think." She proudly announced to no one. The design had taken her three days to think up. That was approximately 19 hours less than her last design. Granted, the request was a bit smaller than the last client's shield, but still _Three days!_ She was allowed to pat herself on the back sometimes. _  
_

Things had been going extremely well for her lately. Truly, she'd never been happier in her life. It was almost crazy to think that ten years ago she was wallowing in the desert. It had been a long road full of hardships that led her here, but worth it. Losing everything had taught her a valuable lesson: wealth meant _life_. Being rich gave you happiness and love. Luckily for her, Junon found all of those things (or at least wealth and happiness) wrapped up in one spoiled intelligent snob named _Gregor Seigori_. 

Seigori was her good luck charm, the universe's apology for the hard years that led to this. Typical rich boy. Her boss was wealthy, tall, handsome, and thought _very_ highly of himself. The self-praise was _mostly_ deserved, Junon supposed. The man was an incredibly skilled weapon maker and the weapons he came up with were completely new technology. The city of Canto Bight was the perfect place for selling these weapons. With the galaxy at war, a strong army favored intricate and more destructive toys. Seigori was there to deliver. Militias were going smaller and smaller with their weapons and protective shields were needed to cover their ground supplies.

That's were Seigori came in.

His biggest seller was a specially designed thermal detonator, something he was very proud of. The thing was so small, so _unfathomably_ small, that they were nearly undetectable. On top of that, these weapons had the ability to be controlled through a remote that fit in the palm of the user's hand. Junon didn't know much about _how_ the weapons were made when she'd first started. Her first job under Seigori had been to test the weapons and record the results.  
  
Ten years later, Junon had moved her way up, coordinating all tests and experimentations on Seigori's products and even designing a few weapons and shields herself. His line varied through the years, but the thermal detonators and deflector shields continued to be a hot seller.

Oh sure, like any job, moving up had taken a lot of time and ass-kissing, but from the start Junon had known it was possible. Seigori favored her. And why not? Junon was tall for a Cantonican, nearly 5'7" and swan-like. Maybe she wasn't as remarkable as those nipped and tucked rich women she saw vacationing in penthouses, but the dark blemish-free skin on her oval face did her many favors. Her features were so much like her mother's, with dark brown eyes that sat nicely on each side of her small but wide nose. Her hair was long and often kept up in a tie, hanging in a tail down to her shoulder blades. Selling weapons meant that she needed to look sharp and professional and it showed in her clothing, hand chosen by Seigori himself. All black and maroon and hugging her in all the right places Seigori preferred. Whatever, as long as he continued giving her raises. And Seigori did. With each new skill he taught her, it was coupled with a nice raise in her pay.

_"Shake it, darlin'! Go on- let it all go! Oo Oo Oooo baby baby baby,"_

The sound of the workshop door opening and closing was nearly drowned out by Junon's music. It was playing an old feed from a music festival. She'd never seen a band like that play live, everything in Canto Bight was always classy and slow. The thought of maybe seeing a festival herself one day put a smile on her face. Traveling outside of Cantonica was looking more and more achievable with each passing day.

"Juno?"

"In here!" She hit the holoprojector and scooted back into her desk. The music feed cut out immediately and the projection faded. They didn't bother getting up to greet each other anymore. Ten years was a long time. The two had known each other far too long for those kind of niceties. Junon wasn't even all the way dressed, her hair was straightened and her make-up was on, but she was hunched over her work table in her undergarments and silk robe. "We're still on for tonight, right? The Canto Casino? I already showered."

"Yeah." She heard him sigh. Seigori was fiddling with something in the kitchenette, if the sound of clinking glasses was any clue. Probably having an early drink. "They confirmed. We should probably head over there soon-ish."

Her boss sounded tired, or maybe he just wasn't all that thrilled to be meeting up with their clients tonight. It wasn't unusual to meet with clients face to face. Often, the get-togethers were just formality. It gave the buyers peace of mind to see a tangible face if they were going to pay Seigori's prices. The two of them would always dress to the nines and meet them wherever the client wished to go. Seigori would buy them a few drinks and the matter would be settled. Business at its finest.

"Good. There's leftovers on the stove if you want them."

"I already ate." His voice had come from the doorway behind her. Junon looked over her shoulder at him, watching the way he leaned on the frame like they didn't have somewhere important to be.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing... Are you wearing your hair down tonight?" He asked, lazy smile brightening his already attractive face.

Junon breathed out and flicked her data pad off. Seigori certainly was a handsome man. His brown hair was curly and styled just how Junon liked. It was thin, light, easy to run her fingers through. The golden hue of his light brown eyes sparkled with a hint of what she suspected was the beginnings drunkenness. A bit concerning. It wasn't like Seigori to drink before a meeting, but she wasn't about to scold him for it... yet. 

"Why? Should I wear it up?"

" _N_ o!" His arms lifted in, making an exaggerated stopping motion that made his employee lift an eyebrow. "No no, I'm just _surprised_. You never wear your hair down, Juno. I was wondering what the occasion was."

"Nothing special. I'm just wearing it down." Junon went back to cleaning off her work station as Seigori continued to stare.

"You look beautiful." He said after a moment. "-with your hair down, I mean. It's nice."

Junon paused her cleaning and set the data pad down. Her body swiveled around to give him a glare, but by the time she'd faced the door Seigori had ducked out.

 _Odd_. Was he joking? Her boss wasn't the type to say such overly romantic things. Maybe he was just nervous about the meeting tonight. Clingy behavior was never a good sign with Seigori. They were seeing each other, true, but whatever was between them was far from a sappy romance. They simply didn't complement each other on a social level.

The weapon designer's apprentice didn't mind what their relationship had evolved into. It was all platonic in the beginning. Just a master technician and his second hand. But then _slowly_ they'd become something more. Nothing too serious, just playful fun now and then. Junon started it. She pushed all of their sexual tension over the edge one day, in a seedy cantina just outside of Canto Bight. The two met with a member of the resistance and scored a very lucrative deal with their leader. It was drink after drink. Two hours later, Junon was pressing Seigori's back up against a toilet-stall door in the public restroom. _Good times._

Holding her breath for any type of committed relationship between them though was laughable. The man was still your typical rich boy down in the depths of his oily heart. Spoiled, egotistical, and a brutal womanizer. Those occasional affairs that bordered on the line of "serious" would always be a laughing stock in the end. She wasn't stupid enough to think she could ever call the man _hers_.

"I'm getting in the shower." Seigori called out from his own office down the hall. "We'll leave in 45. The dress I bought you is next to the front door." 

Junon shook her head and got up to retrieve the dress. Whatever Seigori's reason for complimenting her tonight was, she was sure it had nothing to do with his attachment to her. They were friends with benefits, not a couple. As long they both lived, she was sure it was going to stay that way.

..........................................................................................

* * *

...........................................................................................

"Come on! Round three!, Boys? ... Juno, hold my drink."

The weapon designer _always_ took Junon with him when he traveled to Canto Casino. It wasn't even that far from their workshop. The casino was within walking distance. If she decided she'd had enough for the night, Junon could just walk back to the office alone, no problem. Not that she would have any reason to _want_ to walk back to the office alone tonight. Seigori swore this would be a quick meeting, a simple transaction, a passing of funds. _Easy_. The rest of the night would be spent playing games and relaxing.

"Junon?"

It was still early in the evening. So far, the night had been pretty standard. They were sitting at a glowing gambling table in the casino's main hall. Creatures from all different planets were surrounding them, waiting for Seigori to play his next hand. This was usually the part of the night Junon liked the least. Having to hang on to her employer's arm like a priceless pet was boring and tedious. Leering eyes and improper remarks she could handle, but actually having to play the role of _arm-candy_ made her want to stab every creature at the table.

"Junon. My _drink_ , babe, _take it_."

 _"Fine."_ Her red painted nails clicked against thin glass when she snatched it from her boss' impatient fingertips. The way he was talking to her tonight wasn't sitting well with her at all. His comments were prickly, short-tempered, and getting drunker by the hour. This had been the fifth or sixth time he had snapped at her since their arrival.

Idiot. This wasn't how the evening was supposed to go. They had a client to meet up with. Seigori was lucky she didn't dump the rest of the glass' contents all over his stupid cards. It was a faint waft of sweetness tickling her nose that stopped her from following through with it. It's lovely scent made her do a double take into the glass. _Hmm._

"I'm feeling lucky tonight, Gentlemen!" A chubby blob of a creature spoke in his native tongue. Seigori snorted and looked at Junon who was in the middle of downing the rest of the liquor from his cup.

"Ha! Finally starting to enjoy yourself, Juno?" he smiled handsomely. She humored him by smiling back.

"I'm always enjoying myself."

Seigori whistled. "Is that so? I can't tell if you're being serious or not. I think you need another drink."

A snap of his fingers brought a silver and white droid rushing to their table. It buzzed and ticked, blinking its robotic eyes dutifully. "Yeah, uuhhh Another one for me. Bring the lady a glass too, huh? Same stuff."

The droid beeped and sped away. Amazing. Junon shook her head in disbelief. The place truly was magnificent. Every time she visited, the awe never seemed to fade. It was like a child walking into a colorful candy shop. Everywhere she turned there was something gorgeous to look at. The gambling hall at Canto Casino was unlike any place she'd stepped foot in before. The lights, the sounds, women of all different planets twirling about in their beautiful white gowns. Every night was an affair. Even the men looked softer here, all dressed up in their black and white attire.

There was laughter and music. Even as guests filed in through the gold painted doors, drinks were shoved immediately into their awaiting hands. The liquor was different here too, sweet tasting stuff that Junon wished she could bottle up and take with her. She would take it in big gulps, but then hold it in her mouth, savoring the taste before taking another sip.

She'd never had any interest in gambling. _Stars_ no! Why throw wealth away? The point of being rich was to _stay_ rich, wasn't it? _Fools._

" _Ah!_ Another win! What do you think, Jun'? Another round before our meeting?" Seigori leaned back in his chair and grinned at her. Her perfect teeth caught the light of a chandelier, somehow making him look even more pompous than usual.

"How 'bout it? Or am I pushing my luck?"

"You're pushing your luck." She deadpanned then lifted her drink from the droid's tray and took a sip.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Seigori watching her. There was something off about his smile, like it was forced, threatening to fall and expose the frown hiding behind it. When her boss finally turned his attention back to the gambling table, Junon took a moment to study the brunette's face. Seigori was nervous, that had to be it. His shoulder's were too tense, his hands shook every time he let go of his glass. Nervous, yes, but _why?_

"Another round?" Seigori had the nerve to wink at her. Junon almost shot him a glare. No, she had to stay calm. If she wanted to figure out what was going on with him, it was best to play nice for now.

"I think you've played enough. We don't have time."

She checked the white timepiece latched onto her wrist. The meeting with their client was in twenty minutes. If she handled this delicately, she might be able to find out what's been bothering him before the twenty minutes are up. "I'm bored. Let's go to the bar."

"Sure."

Seigori led the way. He took her hand and together they left the gambling table to move towards the bar. The bar wasn't too far from the dance floor. As Seigori pressed himself into the countertop to speak to the droid pouring drinks, Junon watched the dancers.

It was all so hypnotizing. Beautiful turns and intricate steps were a daydream of hers. She couldn't dance. Stars, she had two left feet! But a girl could daydream, right? Swaying to something slow and lovely under sparkling lights wouldn't be too bad. Seigori was the closest thing to a lover Junon had ever known. The rich playboy usually skipped the romantic stuff and hopped right over to the more hot and heavy parts. Most of the time it didn't bother her, Junon always told him she preferred it that way, but just once-

"Here," Seigori pressed a cold glass into her hand and turned back to the droid to collect his own drink from the table. Both were full of sparkling amber liquid that smelled just as sweet as the drink he'd ordered her before. "I know how much you like the sweet stuff, babe. Sip it slow though, that stuff is strong."

Junon snorted. He's one to talk.

"When have I ever drank more than I can handle?"

"Two years ago." he side-eyed her. "It was your birthday." 

"Ah." _Right_.

"You called me a womanizer and slapped me in the face, remember?"

Yes, she remembered. It was at a smaller, less flashy Casino on the other side of Canto. He'd deserved it too. It was her birthday and she'd found his ass chatting up some rich older woman near the restrooms. This thing they had, it wasn't exclusive. Seigori wasn't _hers_ , but paying attention to any other woman on her birthday was unacceptable. She still slept in his bed, no matter what their official relationship status was. Call her jealous, fine, but it was _her_ birthday and she hadn't wanted to spend it alone.

"I liked it." Seigori added stupidly after a moment or two of silence. That was enough. Junon dropped her glass back on the bar and checked the time.

"Are you ready for this meeting? We have fifteen minutes."

She'd meant it to be playful, a simple reminder of the time, but it came out harsher than expected. Seigori's smile slipped. An odd look passed over his face. It might've been just her imagination, but Junon swore the man looked frightened.

He nodded, then took three deep breaths before setting his own _empty_ glass down next to hers.

"No, I'm not fucking ready." Her boss whispered, head down. His fists were pressed into the bar. "The man we're meeting with, Juno... He's a psychopath."

Junon blinked. What? Of all the problems Seigori could've had, a fear of their client had not been one on her list. "I thought you said this meeting would be easy?"

"No, I said it would be _quick_ and it will be." Her dark eyes dropped to watched his fingers tap nervously on the side of Junon's still half-full glass. Seigori bit his lip, eyes darting around the loud bustling hall, searching for something in the finely dressed crowd.

"Seigori-"

" _Shh!_ Look!" Suddenly panicked, the man nodded his head sharply to the right. He was looking passed the crowd by the bar, eyes large and hissing through clenched teeth _."Look- Look!"_

Junon furrowed her brow and turned her whole body to look around. Her eyes scouted the large white and gold staircase about fifty feet away, but it was just a mess of beings all laughing and chatting in the large open space. There was nothing specifically out of place about any of them.

"Do you see him?"

Ugh. What a question. She didn't even know she was looking for a _him_. "Do I see _who_?"

" _There_ at the bottom of the stairs! Tall human male? Red hair? He's pale as death. Don't tell me you don't see him."

Junon eyed every human man huddled in the assorted crowd. It only took one large alien creature moving for her to finally see the man Seigori must have been talking about.

"Oh."

She noticed his hair first, red just like Seigori said. Not an unattractive vibrant color, just a bit brighter than auburn, nearly blonde and neatly styled in a modest short haircut. The man certainly was pale, the deep black suit that covered his body from the neck down just made his complexion all the more noticeable. Seigori had stressed that he was tall, but it wasn't a stand-out feature. Considering most men in the casino hall were standing at around 6 foot something, Junon would go as far as to call the man's height average.

Making out the features of his face from her spot beyond the shifting crowd wasn't easy. The only finer details she could see were his rigid posture and the quick impatient flicking of his hand as he commanded the two other men walking beside him to start up the stairs.

"Who is he?"

"His name is Hux. He's a big shot in the First Order _._ The amount he was willing to cough-up for a planetary shield was no joke." As soon as the words left Seigori's lips, the "big shot" in question turned his head in their direction. Junon averted her eyes when she saw the man scanning the lineup by the bar.

"They trust him enough to handle large chunks of their budget then." She whispered, turning back to take her drink from Seigori's hand.

"Mmhm. Not bottomless though. _I know_. I've tried to raise the price on him six times."

"So what's the problem?"

"What's the problem?" Seigori scoffed. "He wants something and I'm not giving it to him. He's a lunatic. Trust me."

Junon took a sip of the sweet liquid in her glass and peeked back in the direction of the stairs. The red-haired man was half way to the second floor now, too far away for her to keep an eye on. This was a lot to take in. This meeting they were going to was supposed to be minor. The way her boss spoke earlier this evening, it seemed to be only a small blip on their visit to the casino. This night was supposed to be relaxing. She knew Seigori dealt with the First Order, but she'd never heard of him meeting with them at places like this.

"Why _here_? Did he say why he wanted to meet here?"

"He wanted to meet in person. It was _my_ idea to meet at the casino. He's not the type of guy you'd want to meet in a dark alley, ya' know?"

Seigori shifted a little to wrap his hand around her side. His jerky odd movements continued, leaving the two of them awkward and suspicious looking.

"Well at least this is going to be quick."

"Yes, _quick_ not painless." He muttered cryptically. "I'd nearly forgotten why we were here, Juno. I'm dreading having to speak to this guy."

Ridiculous. For the ten years that Junon had known him, Seigori had always been his own boss. Everything he did, he did because he _wanted_ to. How was this stiff looking client different from the others? How could they hold power over someone as independent as Seigori? The First Order was an intimidating client, she could understand that, but the _fear_... it was starting to rub off on her. Her hands were beginning to shake, she could feel sweat starting to tickle at her hairline, all this nonsense over one man who happened to be a somebody somewhere far from Cantonica!

"If he's that hard to deal with, then don't go to the meeting." Her boss gave her a withering look. "I'm serious. Just forget the meeting and tell him you can't fulfill the request."

" _No._ You don't understand." He whispered under his breath, did another thorough sweep of the room with his shifty eyes. "You can't just blow this guy off. I've tried. We'll meet with him, get it over with. I'll stick to my guns and he'll either have to accept my terms or fuck off."

Junon wanted to ask him more on that, more about the redhead, more about the item the First Order was asking for, but it looked as though Seigori had already made up his mind. With one last swig from _her_ drink, the man straightened his jacket and held out his hand.

 _Damn him._ She didn't like this one bit, but Junon offered her hand anyway. They walked together passed the crowd and towards the casino's beautifully crafted staircase. "I hope you know what you're doing, Seigori."

The click of her expensive heels on the stairs clashed with the odd beat of the casino's music. There was so much _noise_ in this place. It was the one complaint that stained an otherwise gorgeous scene. A beautiful chandelier made of odd looking crystals sat above it all. It cast a lovely glow about the room, erasing the harshness of black and white fabric spinning around the dance floor.

"Don't worry, Jun'. It's like I said, we'll make this quick. A little negotiation, an exchange of information... It'll be fine.” 

_Stars_ , she was starting to sincerely doubt that. Her white heels slammed a little harder than necessary on the last two steps to the landing. They scrapped roughly against the black polished stone floor, making people turn their heads towards the couple.

 _"Easy._ Don't make yourself too interesting, alright? Just nod and agree with everything I say."

"Right, okay. _" Yeah._ If that statement was meant to calm her, it failed miserably. Seigori himself was fidgeting like a nervous child, waiting for the teacher to reprimand him and hit him with a ruler. This whole situation was getting more ridiculous with each passing moment-

"There they are, Jun'."

Junon followed Seigori's eyes to a table tucked away in the corner. Just passed the bar, three men were seated in a semi circle. They were easy to spot, especially the redhead. The client's bright hair color stood out like a dab of paint against the decorative black walls of the casino's much quieter second floor. It wasn't like Junon scared easily, but seeing the three men dressed in all black, sitting alone in the corner like animals ready to devour prey... it unsettled her more than anything had in years.

"Breathe, Juno." Her boss whispered, but how could she? He'd just spent the last ten minutes telling her this guy was bad news? According to Seigori, they were walking into a den of monsters!

Her eyes weren't deceiving her either, the three of them really were dressed in _all black_ , seated by themselves, completely ignoring the party going on around them. They weren't even speaking to _each other_ , for fucks sake. She distinctly remembered the theme of the evening was advertised as black and _white_. It just made the three men look even more intimidating that they weren't dressed like the rest of the gentlemen laughing their way across the casino's extravagant event. And what a terrible feeling, after all that frightening build up, to be walking towards that small table where the red-haired man and his posse sat. She was determined to hold her head high though. She wasn't below any person, not Seigori, not this First Order weirdo, not anyone.

 _Confident._ Just look _confident_.

The redhead was the first to stand when Seigori and herself reached the table, a clear sign of who out of the three of them was the leader. 

It was strange seeing him up close. The graceful lift of his body from the cushioned seat was an odd contrast to the overall stiffness of his long limbs. The man was thin, a little taller than her eyes had first fashioned, and standing with his back straight like there was an invisible pole stapled to his spine. Now that she was standing beside him, Junon could see he had a few inches on Seigori, maybe a little over 6 foot then? But more surprising than his height was his face. _Stars_ , how old was this man? He was much younger than he looked from afar. Junon assumed a man calling orders and scaring people like Seigori would be far older than the human she was looking at now. He couldn't have been more than thirty-five, definitely not forty. Attractive _maybe_... How does a man that young have so much control?

Not a second after the man stood, the redhead's fidgety companions hurried to copy their leader. They bumbled up from their seats to stand on either side of him, looking like second rate stand-ins for actual guards. Stoic and stiff must be the norm within the First Order, though these poor men didn't quite have it down. The shorter one in the group had to be about Junon's age. A handsome amount of black hair was slicked back into a professional style on his head, with only a few hairs escaping to hang barely noticed in front of two large dark brown eyes. An overly serious expression completed the silly ensemble, complimenting a round button-nosed face that scrunched itself up in some poor attempt to appear older. Laughable really. If the situation had been a little different, more lighthearted, Junon might've done just that.

The third man to the redhead's right shared the same dark hair color as his shorter button-nosed friend, except for the streaks of grey. He kept the silver mop brushed back against his skull and, somehow, it made his sour expression look even more severe than his superior’s. He was maybe the oddest of the bunch, standing with his head turned down, not moving an inch aside from the non-stop twitching of his left eye. Junon did her best to smile at him despite it, but the man didn't look at her... he just kept _staring_ off to the side.

What an odd bunch.

It's normally custom on Cantonica that two businessmen should shake hands when greeting each other at a meeting. That custom must not be shared with the First Order, because the redhead's hands quickly disappeared behind his back when Seigori made a move to reach out his hand. Do officers of the First Order even have customs? She'd once heard most of them are raised from infancy, doomed to be bland, and boring, and rude. This man certainly seemed to have all of those qualities. 

"General Hux." Seigori spoke first, keeping his smile tight as his eyes jumped from one officer to another.

" _Seigori_.” The general’s voice matched his esthetic perfectly _._ “Kind of you to finally make an appearance. You're _late._ "

 _What? Wait! No,_ she couldn't have heard that correctly. _Late?_ No no, that couldn't be right. She nearly thought he was joking, but the redhead looked on in composed silence. Junon's mouth dropped open and then closed, Eyes widening in disbelief. "Late? But we- "

" _Yes,_ my apologies." Seigori hastily spoke over her and reached his hand up to pinch the back of her arm. "I saw you and your men come in. Just thought I'd give you guys a moment to get settled, that's all."

 _Huh?_ A weird thing to act suspicious about right off the bat, Seigori. What was up with that? Had her boss gotten the time wrong? Had Junon misheard and gave him inaccurate calls? Either way, Hux clearly thought Seigori's answer was odd too. He glanced down to where her boss's fingers circled her elbow with narrowed eyes, just enough skepticism to crease the pale skin between his brow. 

”But you look settled now, right?” Seigori cleared his throat and pretended to dust off his jacket with his free hand. "Shall we?"

Seigori was a mess, grinning madly through even the most awkward of moments. This situation was no exception. Thankfully he was quick to gesture for them to sit.

The shorter of the redhead's companions moved first. He walked past the initial two chairs next to where they'd been standing, and waited for his leader to take his seat in center before sitting down himself. The table very well crafted, meant for small gatherings. It was medium sized, black and rectangular, with rounded edges on the four corners.

Junon didn't wait for Seigori to pull out a chair for her, fearing the idiot might not at all. She simply moved and took the seat across from the cute black-haired officer. It was important to take the time to situate her dress as she sat. Five minutes in the thing was enough to prove the design was finicky and prone to accidents. Her painted nails ran down the sides of her thighs and then pulled the loose white fabric below her waist so that it folded over her bare knee. _Perfect_. When she looked up, the dark-haired companion was staring at her. Ha! She loved him already. The poor man's nerves were getting the better of him, it seemed, and he swiftly turned his head away when he'd realized Junon had caught him looking. There was no blush, but the small tremor of his bottom lip read like social anxiety.

"Hi." She tried. Emphasis on the _tried_. Poor thing ducked his head and pretended his hands were the most interesting things in the room.

As the other men took their seats, Seigori next to her and the grey-haired man sitting on the far end beside his General, Junon marveled at the craftsmanship of the table they were occupying. Her painted nails ran delicately over the small buttons on the edge of it... light grey, bright silver, and dark red. They were buttons she recognized. A more in-depth look at the dark slab showed two circles of lightly painted checkered grey squares mixed with black decorating it's surface; one circle painted between Seigori and Hux and another in front of Junon and the dark-haired boy across from her. It was no ordinary table, she thought with a spark of barely contained excitement. This table was a _hologame_ table. Oh, she _adored_ this place!

"Well! It's been some time, huh?" Seigori grinned. It was a little lopsided now. He was nervous, to Junon's eye at least. One of Seigori's biggest tells has always been his posture. The more he leans back, stretches out, and attempts to dominate physically, the more self-conscious he's probably feeling. Sometimes the act comes off as charming, but not always. A lot of the time he just looks insufferable " _Seriously, Hux,_ you look _great!_ Have you gained weight-"

"I have little patience for games tonight, Seigori." their client snapped, sharp and unfriendly. "The faster we can come to an agreement, the better."

"Likewise. But I mean- y _ou're_ the one who wanted this meeting, don't forget."

"Purely due to _your_ incompetence. “Hux hissed. "Our calls were too frequent. I will not broadcast the First Orders' expenditures every three standard days."

"Incompetence, General?" It was Seigori's turn to get pissy. He leaned in, chest resting on the black multi-function table. 

"Yes, with your regularly changing restrictions and-"

" _No._ My restrictions haven't changed _once_. I gave you options within what I was willing to draw up. You're just a bad listener. "

"When we last spoke- _Ah_." Seigori had opened his mouth and that had been enough of an interruption for their client. The redhead held up his hand and leaned forward to match her boss' level, looking furious enough to strangle the weapon-designer where he sat.

"When we last spoke, you _insisted_ a shield the size we requested could not be fashioned, that it was _impossible._ But, you see, I have proof stating otherwise; examples from other technicians who were able to procure a shield of this magnitude before"

"Then why not go to them? If you're not happy with what I have to offer, you don't have to work with me."

Hux breathed out harshly. His eyes were unblinking when he spoke out of clenched teeth. "There are few who can design a deflector shield without defects. I specifically sought you out for this trade and you- " 

The man stopped and jerked back when a silver service droid rolled up to the table. It's mechanisms whirled and beeped and tooted happily like it had no idea it had just walked into a tense conversation. For a solid _awkward_ ten seconds, nobody moved and the oblivious droid looked back and forth between them with all the patience in the world. It was Junon who finally looked around the table and sighed. Leave it to the woman to take initiative and order the men a round of drinks. _Idiots._

“Any special requests?" She asked the table in annoyance. Predictably, no one spoke aside from the younger cutie in front of her who let out a soft cough. Junon gave him a pointed look.

“Oh, n-no. Just... I was just coughing.” He quavered and nearly fell sideways out of his seat. Junon bit her lip and pretended she didn't notice.

"Right. Surprise us then.” She called over to the droid and it cheerfully raised its metal arm and sped off, none the wiser to the anomalous scene it had just been a part of.

 _Wow._ Okay. Junon took a deep breath in and pressed her palms against the table. This whole night had been nothing short of ridiculous and she couldn't help but feel the situation was only going to get worse. Seigori feared this man, didn't he? There had to be a reason for calling him a _psychopath_ and a _lunatic_. Why not just give him what he wanted then? She knew everyone reacted to fear differently, but Seigori's answers to this client's concerns were confusing and half-explained. No wonder Hux wanted to meet with him in person. The guy was just as confused as to why he couldn't have what he wanted as Junon was! A planetary shield wasn't that hard. Was it a planet made of lava or something? She didn't think it would be her place to step in and try to smooth things over, but maybe she could try asking leading questions? Pushing Seigori to answer the man a little more clearly without directly coming out and telling her boss that it was _him_ who was acting like a lunatic? _Stars_ , she'd have to down at least one more drink to prepare for that.

“Who are you?”

"Hm?" Junon lifted her head in shock. The pissy redheaded man was now solely focused on _her_ , eyeing her from his diagonal view across the table. He looked genuinely interested too, like he'd sensed Junon's wish to insert herself in the conversation.

"I'm er..."

Looking this man in the eyes felt like staring into the gaze of a carnivorous animal. Those light-colored irises reminded her of cold unforgiving ice despite their green hue. Distantly, she decided the man would be very handsome if not for the look of disgust that seemed to be his default expression. His high cheekbones coupled with a soft jaw gave him a powerful mix of authority and youth. Something that would be endlessly attractive if not for that pinched arrogant look he was wearing. 

Before Junon could find the right words to say, Seigori jumped in and answered in the pause.

“No one." He said. "She's is my assistant.”

Hux looked from her, to Seigori, and back. 

“Assistant?"

"Yeah. Assistant." Her boss repeated with a little more force.

"You handle side projects then? Low-budget designs?” Hux asked her, again pointedly directing the question to Junon. This time she'd meant to say _yes_ , to answer confidently and proudly that she does do many of the designs, but Seigori let out a short humorless laugh and slapped his hand down on the table in front of them.

“ _No._ She handles paperwork and coffee runs.” A lie. “Are we here to flirt with pretty girls or talk about your request, _General?_ 'Cause I'd personally like to enjoy my evening before this place closes down. How 'bout you?"

Their entire side of the room fell silent.

For what it's worth, Hux didn't react to the jibe at all. His chin remained tilted up, expression held steady. His men were a different story. Both noticeably twitched, each giving Seigori a look that screamed "dead meat".

Junon wanted to scream. What the hell was that? Why lie? Why argue? What was going on?

"Seigori-" She started to whisper. Seigori cleared his throat and fidgeted, trying to find the right words for a backpedal.

"Okay, _listen_. I said you'd get a shield and I meant that. I'm not trying to difficult," Ha. Could've fooled _everyone_. "But I refuse to work outside of the boundaries I originally gave you. I can't go that big with my design-"

"You _can't_?" The general parroted, accent mimicking Seigori's own in irreverent scorn. "Or is it that you won't? Because this is all starting to look very suspicious to me, Seigori. I would hate to think our little disagreements regarding the shield was due to some _other_ agreement you may have made with one of the First Order's enemies."

" _Hey!_ I don't play favorites, alright? I treat all of my shitty kids the same, you included. I told you I couldn't build a shield that size because I literally can't. The materials would be out of the Order's price range-"

"Really. What price is that?"

"-and anyway, I'm not building a shield that cancels out all of my other weapons. What kind of business man would I be?"

Hux fell silent for a moment, eyes half-lidded and face blank. Slowly, a spark of understanding began to dawn. He smiled, or maybe snarled, Junon wasn't sure, but it looked positively nasty.

"Mm. So that _is_ reason," He hissed. "This isn't about credits or materials. The deflector shield isn't beneficial to your resistance friends' interests."

Seigori laughed. "Oh you gotta be fucking with me."

"How much did they pay you to deny our request?" Hux demanded. Seigori shook his head and ran a hand over his thinning dark hair.

"Ya' know what? I'm done here."

Junon hurriedly scooted back in her chair as her boss knocked his own chair over and stood. "This back and forth pissing contest between us is done, Hux. You said I'm the only person in the galaxy who can correctly design those shields _, fine._ Then _I_ call the shots, don't I?"

Hux was silent, sitting stark still against the rising volume of Seigori's voice. "They're _my_ shields. You got a problem with my rules? Tough shit. _I_ set the price. _I_ draw the blueprints. You take it or leave it." He backed up from the table and straightened his clothes, giving Junon's chair a kick with his polished shoes. "I'll leave my assistant here to negotiate price. You want a shield? Fine, but it won't cover the entire planet."

With that, Seigori turned his back and headed to the glass doors behind the bar. They slid open and Seigori burst through them, knocking their poor droid's tray out of its hands as he went. The glasses smashed, splashing all of the amber liquor onto an unfortunate patron's white dress.

In the aftermath of the commotion, all three men turned back to look at Junon.

"He'll be back," was all she could manage. "I have his wallet."


	2. I'll Drink To That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junon tries to strike up conversation while waiting for her boss to make a reappearance. The company is odd to say the least.

Faded in amongst the droning chatter of at least fifty different conversations, was the unmistakable rhythmic beat of tom-tom drums. Junon leaned herself away from the table to peek, letting her dark hair fall over one shoulder. It was a small band, only four members, playing upbeat music by the stairs. They must've set up their equipment sometime during the debacle with Seigori. Their skin was neon and their clothes were tailored and pressed. Too bad. It would have been nice to drink and clap along with a few songs, but _no_ she was stuck sitting at the table furthest away from any sort of merriment, staring numbly at the faces of three very ticked off men.

Junon leaned back into her seat and sighed.

 _What a mess._ Mid meeting, smack-down in the center of a very busy casino, Junon had watched her idiot boss make a fool of himself in front of a _very_ high profile client, a general of the First Order. It was _disastrous._ One of the most childish displays of unprofessionalism she'd ever seen from him. Junon knew Seigori had a temper, of course she knew that, but he'd never revealed it so blatantly in front of a client before. _Stars_ \- now she was embarrassed! How could he do this? She couldn't fathom what had made Seigori overreact so suddenly (and stupidly). One mention of the resistance and he’d gone AWOL! If this was Seigori's idea of "sticking to his guns" it was a shit effort. 

"He'll be back, I have his wallet." She’d awkwardly tried to joke, but it was true. Without anything to identify himself, the most Seigori could do was head back to the office. Not that she thought he _would_ head back there without her... would he? Seigori wasn't that stupid. The whole building was situated on a man-made cliff overlooking the sea. The doors her boss had stormed off through led to the second-floor balcony, the very one with no other exit than the one door he had left through, unless he jumped down to one of the lower-level balconys (Junon knew for a fact he wouldn't). Canto Casino built their own mini waterfall out there. It was easily ten stories high off the side of the building- a surprise fixture for their guests, decorated in gold and silver like the rest of this glitzy place. Junon herself had walked out those doors the previous times they'd come here to catch her breath and enjoy the beautiful peace. The balcony had no other exit than crossing back through the glass doors and _in front_ of where her and the three men were seated; Really something she was thankful for now.

 _That idiot._ She couldn't believe this! Who was the lunatic now! Definitely not their client. Excusing herself and going out there to grab him would be a futile attempt if he was still angry. Perhaps she could wait for him to reappear, but what good would that be if their client got sick of waiting and left? Wasn’t the whole point of this meeting to settle things?

**_"Greetings!"_ **

Junon gasped and jolted in her seat, clutching the sides of her cushion for dear life. The three men across from her didn't move. Their table's service droid was back again, whistling happily _"Sorry about the wait! I have your drinks!"_

Poor thing. It was the same droid that Seigori had carelessly smacked on his way out the door. It had dutifully wheeled away to find them new drinks and now was setting five newly poured glasses full of amber liquid down on their table, all ill-treatment forgotten.

 _"Shall I take this one back?"_ It questioned, holding out the fifth drink after looking around and noticing the missing person. Junon shook her head.

"No, leave it. He'll be back. He just went out for some uh” she swallowed "-for some air." The redhead across from her made an ugly sound.

 _"Understood."_ The droid chirped happily _"Please enjoy!"_

"Thank you."

Seigori had called the man General Hux. Well, he certainly _looked_ like a General, all straight lines and perfect posture, frowning harshly under the dim romantic lighting. That frown was a little more hard set now. In fact, he looked like he was on the brink of some terrible fit. She could tell by his jaw alone, clenched and protruding slightly in displeasure. The man was staring long and hard at the doors where Seigori had disappeared before his eyes quickly turned back to hers.

"So," She started, fingers lightly trailing the grey circles painted on the table. "Do you three drink? Or does the First Order not allow that?"

No one replied. The redhead did straighten his back, but didn't give her his full attention. It seemed he'd rather keep glancing towards the set of doors like they were an enemy he could take down. Junon sucked in gulp of air and gently sipped from her glass.

Beside him, the two men Hux had brought along weren't looking too happy either... well less happy than they had been before. Though their rigid posture and twitchy movements were probably due to their leader's high level of irritation, they looked more anxious than outright angry. The short, dark-haired cutie across from her was chewing on his bottom lip like it was a piece of gum, trying to steal glances at his Hux without fully turning his head. It caused him look like he had some kind of natural twitch or water in his ear that he couldn't shake out.

_Yikes._

Well, the situation definitely wasn't good, but not completely unsalvageable. Like fixing an old rusted speeder, Junon could take this as a challenge and work from there. Seigori _would_ be back. It was only a matter of time before he saw reason and walked through those doors with an apology all ready to go. Junon simply had to keep the conversation rolling in the right direction until then. And while she was at it, maybe she could even use this to her advantage! _Yes!_ It'd be the perfect time to intervene on negotiations out of Seigori's earshot, Or at least her chance to understand the full argument a little better. Nothing wrong with wanting to help meet a client's needs, right? If this man was willing to pay for a shield, why not make it? Junon intended to find out.

"It's fine if that's really a rule for you guys. I'm just asking because no one's touched their drinks and I'm buying, well-" She reached down and up the slit of her white dress to pull out a small leather square. It didn't make any noise when she shook it by her ear, but it was the implications of the shaking she was going for. " _Seigori_ is buying drinks tonight. I think he owes you something after that little stunt, right boys?"

Hux lifted an eyebrow, still facing away from her. "You mean that tantrum we were unfortunate enough to witness?"

Junon bit down _hard_ on her tongue _._

 _Shit- Okay._ Free drinks or not, their client wasn't willing to let what had happened go so easily. That was understandable. Frustrating, but understandable. _Think think think..._ If she wanted them to stay, she had to change her tactics.

"You're right. _I'm sorry,_ you're right." Junon laughed softly. She tugged her long hair back behind her ear and leaned into the table. "That outburst was wild. I _really_ can't apologize enough. Truly embarrassing. I've never been more disappointed in him."

There was a full 5 seconds of silence that felt like a lifetime before the man finally turned his head to her, glowering.

"A _proper_ apology would accepting my proposal and drawing up the blueprints."

Ah! Okay, this was something! He was definitely pissed, but at least he was talking! Junon could work with that. She loved to talk.

"I know. I'm sorry." she soothed like she would with any irate customer. "I'm sure Seigori wasn't trying to offend you. He's just... _passionate_ about his work sometimes. If he thinks something won't work, he won't make it. He'll fight tooth and na-"

"The shield _will_ work." Hux raised his voice before reining himself back in, glancing around to the empty tables around them. "I'm not a fool. I've done extensive research, interviewed dozens of technicians."

"I understand, but Seigori is an artist. Have _you_ ever designed weapons before, _General_?"

Something changed in the man's demeanor then, a small proud smile appeared on his face.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I know quite a lot about designing weapons.” 

“Really.” She didn’t know if she believed that. Clients would say that to her all the time, acting like they knew what they were asking for and then looking dumbfounded by the outcome. This man only tilted his chin higher. 

"Mm. Does that surprise you?”

”No, i just- “

“I have lead multiple projects over the years, from warships to cleaning droids. I'm not incapable of coming up with a solution to my own problem, but a planetary shield is a different sort of challenge. Too involved. I don't have time to focus on it myself." 

"Huh." Okay. Maybe he _did_ know what he was talking about. 

The girl reached out and grasped her tumbler. By some miracle, the man copied her. He tentatively moved his hand to inch towards the nearest drink on his side of the table and she watched triumphantly when his fingers gently circled one.

"Shields are easier than most techs think," She said after a moment, watching him finally sip from the glass. "It's the finer details that make or break the quality and you have to stay with it even as it's being built. That's why you're having a hard time finding someone. It takes time and attention. Not everyone has that sort of patience."

"Yes. Well I have the _patience_ , you see, but not the _time_. " Hux leaned forward on the table, tense lines diminishing with every touch of desperation that seeped into his face.

"Your Seigori was meant to hand over his design nearly a month ago. There were no prior mentions of restrictions on circumference or _any_ restrictions for that matter. You understand? I am already severely behind schedule,"

"I understand."

"-and all of those ridiculous demands that came about recently! You see now why I requested this meeting."

"You want an answer about why he won't accept the original project?"

"That would be a suitable start, I think." The man grumbled, setting his drink back down on the table with a hard clack.

Shit- He was pissed again. A quick change in subject was in order. Junon scooted herself into Seigori’s vacant chair and looked at the two officers flanking the general's side.

"So, do _you_ guys double as tech geniuses too? Or are you all just friends?"

The reaction was better than she was hoping for. The stoic man on Hux's right ignored her, predictable prick, but the button-nosed cutie to his left turned the shade of a ripe tomato. He swallowed, shook his head, and gave his general a nervous look.

"They are officers of the First Order." Hux says as if it's obvious- as if she’s stupid for asking. "They are here to accompany me."

_"Ah.”_

Junon grinned. Damn. That was a very haughty way of saying- of course we're not _friends_ , idiot. Haughty businessmen, royals with tiny castles, high ranking officers on any side of a war, she could swear they were all the same. These two extra officers were just that: Extra. She wondered if the three of them were chummy at all.

"Don't tell me you don't let them drink on the job though. Are we supposed to drink all five of these ourselves?" she gestured to the extra glasses sitting full and untouched.

Hux scowled. "If Seigori returns, as you have so assured me, it will make three. Anyway," The side-looks he gave the two officers was far from discreet. "They have a few calls to make, I'm afraid."

Without word, both men stood up from their chairs. The shorter one paused to give her a last nod, which she thought was pretty adorable, and the officers disappeared together towards the other side of the landing. 

"You know, if you wanted to speak to me alone, general, all you had to do was say so." She winked before she could think better of it. The man didn't react.

"We were a strange sight: three men sitting off in the corner with a lone female." He leaned back in his chair now that the two were gone, relaxing a bit in the absence of his subordinates. He breathed out and turned his glass around in his hand. The word “endearing” came to Junon’s mind, but she quickly shoved that thought aside. 

"Your shorter friend seems like a nice guy. Sorry- coworker?"

"He is a very dependable officer."

"Right. Well, I think he's a cutie."

She took another large gulp of her drink and looked at the rest of the room. The band behind her client's back was finishing their set. The four musicians were all patting each other on the shoulders and tapping on the bar. Still no sign of Seigori.

"What did you say your name was?"

Her attention snapped back like an elastic band. Light green eyes were focused on her again, intense, entire body still. It reminded her too much of an eager cat, serious or playful- she couldn't tell. 

"My name's Junon."

 _"Junon."_ The way his accent said her name was lovely. His head quirked to the side, lips practicing the name with charming ease. "Alright, _Junon_." Hux set his glass down on the table and leaned back in, one arm coming to rest on the black shiny surface. "Earlier, Seigori spoke as if you knew nothing about his work. He insinuated you were nothing more than a dim secretary. Why do I suspect that's untrue?"

Junon blinked. Right, that _had_ been said earlier: Seigori talking about her like she wasn't a valuable member of his team, even though it was a total contradiction to the truth. Her boss had told the table that she was only good for coffee runs, but what no-nothing would be able to talk about the shields as if they've built them unless they _have_ actually built them!

She licked her lips, gripping her half full glass. Adding more cracks to Seigori's already deteriorating reputation wasn't a good idea. This was the First Order she was talking to. If Hux was told she was dumb, than she should play dumb, but it was a bit too late for that now.

A small voice in the far back reaches of her mind was screaming for her to play along, to go with what Seigori had said. It had to have been for a reason, right? He told that lie for a reason... but what if that reason had been jealousy or even anger that his high-profile client was talking to her instead of him. What if it was all said to embarrass her?

"The truth is... The truth is that _I_ design almost half of Seigori's weapon commissions."

She couldn't help the way she smiled while saying it, like it was a dirty secret she was sharing with a man she’d just met a bar. Junon had worked too hard for too long to lie about what sue was capable of. "In fact _all_ deflector shields sold within the last year were my work."

And it felt _so_ good to say it. The look on the man's face when she'd admitted it too was unbelievably gratifying. Those cold eyes, bored and barely reacting to a thing she'd said so far, widened enough to look shell-shocked. His mouth fell open, not gaping, but enough to show he was pleasantly surprised.

" _You_ design the shields?"

"All of them."

"So you have seen my request?"

"No." 

Damn. Before the word had even left her mouth, Junon knew she probably shouldn't have said it. Something dark immediately drowned the look of approval lighting up the redhead's face. It wasn't confusion, more like affirmation- that he'd received some sort of confirmation about something he had before only assumed.

 _"No?"_ He rapidly blinked and then looked away, body tensing all over again.

"You're a high-profile client," Junon quickly tried to amend. "It's not unusual for him to keep a few projects to himself."

Hux didn't answer. He was pouting again, mouth hardest in that extra dramatic frown he had on when they'd first met. Now she was probably back to square one. This man's emotions were like a swinging Pendulum. One minute, she was sure she had the guy figured out, and then in the next minute he was a completely different puzzle. It was understandable that he'd be angry over the project. It wasn't his disappointment that was getting her frustrated, it was his shifting behavior. The General had proved that he wasn't a complete stick in the mud, he was drinking and talking with her at least, but Junon was slowly coming to realize that maybe this client's changeable attitude around her wasn't due to social awkwardness. Had she just made everything between the First Order and Seigori worse?

She watched Hux fiddle with something in his lap for a moment before looking about the room. Seigori still hadn't reappeared, but it had only been about forty-five minutes or so. She still had plenty of time to make the situation right. If she somehow had added fuel to the fire, then it was her responsibility to put it out. Another change in-

"Hypothetically," Hux suddenly spoke up. "If I sent my request to you personally, you would be able to create the blueprints without Seigori."

"Um..." What? Hold on- Where was he going with this? "I- Yes. _Hypothetically_ , I would be able to lead the entire project. _hypothetically_. "

" _Would you_?"

There it was again, that spark of something dark behind those light-colored eyes. It was a warning, a red flag. If she was watching her life played out in a holodrama, she would have screamed for herself to get up and leave the table. There were at least fifteen questions balled into that one singular question he had asked, the most important being "Would you betray Seigori?" The man who made her what she was today, her _first_ for almost everything, her one-way road out of poverty when she needed it most?

Could she betray _that_ man?

"No." She answered. "I would have to speak to Seigori first."

It was an easy No. She wouldn't string this man along to believe that she would complete the project herself if Seigori refused. At the end of the day, Junon knew who she worked for. A girl wasn't going to give up her entire world for a pretty-eyed man she just met- Certainly not one with as many mood swings as a Nexu in heat.

Hux tightly nodded, looking like he'd once again made up some sort of monumental decision in his mind. Whatever he was fiddling with in his lap was quickly shoved in a pocket and forgotten about as he began pushing the other three drinks aside.

"Do you play dejarik?" he asked.

"What- Yes?" There was another one of those mood swings again. Junon shook her head and slowly moved her drink to the side as well. "You noticed the table's a board? I noticed it right away."

"Yes. Are you any good at it?"

Pff! He was asking like he meant business, unsmiling and pissy. Junon couldn't take it, she lightly kicked his leg under the table with the side of her heel and laughed.

"Am _I_ any good at it? General, _I'm the best_."

She reached over to his side of the table and flipped on the board. The table's shiny surface came to light, glowing green hues that reminded her of the old days when she used to play this game with her father. The scenery wasn't exactly the same- her father's hut was all brown dirt walls and wobbly chairs, but it had been some of the best times of her life.

"Original rules? You know what I mean when I say original rules, right?" She was just being sure, but the look he gave her was ugly.

"Lades first, _Junon_."

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you'd like to read more with comments and kudos! Thanks for reading!


End file.
